Event set to promote new Vietnam veterans license plate

By MATTHEW BEATON / The News Herald

Published: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 at 08:15 PM.

For other Vietnam veterans to get the tag, standard fees apply, but there’s no added cost, Hughes said. The veterans turn in their old plate and get the new one. It has the same design as the standard plate — with oranges in the center over the state of Florida — except on the left side it says “Vietnam War Veteran” with the plate number on the right.

Hughes said he’s “unbelievably pleased” the new plate is available and Vietnam veterans are being honored. He said Patronis, who chairs the Florida Defense Support Task Force, has been a big supporter of veterans and active-serving military.

Patronis is happy the plate is finally available but mused as to why it took so long.

“Why did we forget or why [did] we not observe the sacrifices that that generation made in the Vietnam conflict?” he asked.

Regardless, these veterans are now getting their due, and Patronis said that’s appropriate.

“All these larger-than-life people in our community that served in ways that can’t be described, sacrificed in ways that can’t be imagined now [get] their place and their right to stand with all the other combat veterans in the state of Florida,” he said.

Patronis said Friday’s event is being held inside the County Commission chambers because it’s next to the Tax Collector’s office, so veterans can take part in the event and get the tag all in the same day.

PANAMA CITY— Long overdue — that’s what Bay County’s state representative said of the new Vietnam veterans license plate.

It’s “40 years in the making,” said Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City.

The license plate became available in October, but Patronis is gathering as many Vietnam veterans as possible Friday to promote it. He’s booked the Bay County Commission chambers for 10:30 a.m., where he plans to discuss the veterans’ contribution to the country and talk about the new tag, which has an interesting story.

Panama Citylawyer Bob Hughes, a captain in the U.S. Army and Vietnam veteran, alerted Patronis that Vietnam vets were omitted from the state’s military license plates. So last year, Patronis attached an amendment to a veterans’ bill, which passed through the Legislature and gained the governor’s signature.

“We had license plates for the U.S. Army and World War II and all kinds of things, but we didn’t have one for Vietnam veterans and a lot of other states did,” Hughes said.

Hughes already has received his license plate, and it’s special. Because he was instrumental in making the new plate a reality, Patronis arranged for him to get one of the first. As part of Friday’s ceremony, Patronis will formally give him the plate.

For other Vietnam veterans to get the tag, standard fees apply, but there’s no added cost, Hughes said. The veterans turn in their old plate and get the new one. It has the same design as the standard plate — with oranges in the center over the state of Florida — except on the left side it says “Vietnam War Veteran” with the plate number on the right.

Hughes said he’s “unbelievably pleased” the new plate is available and Vietnam veterans are being honored. He said Patronis, who chairs the Florida Defense Support Task Force, has been a big supporter of veterans and active-serving military.

Patronis is happy the plate is finally available but mused as to why it took so long.

“Why did we forget or why [did] we not observe the sacrifices that that generation made in the Vietnam conflict?” he asked.

Regardless, these veterans are now getting their due, and Patronis said that’s appropriate.

“All these larger-than-life people in our community that served in ways that can’t be described, sacrificed in ways that can’t be imagined now [get] their place and their right to stand with all the other combat veterans in the state of Florida,” he said.

Patronis said Friday’s event is being held inside the County Commission chambers because it’s next to the Tax Collector’s office, so veterans can take part in the event and get the tag all in the same day.

A Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles representative also will be on hand, giving a rundown on how to get the tag.

And for Patronis, helping this legislation become law, so the tags would become a reality is a point of great pride.

“Even though my name’s not on the bill, it will probably be the neatest thing I’ve ever done, just because of people like Bob and what they’ve done for other people in the community,” he said.